A recent conversation with Thom Publiski, Manager of Consulting Services at Concentra Medical Centers in Livona, Michigan gave us the chance to learn about a corporate trainer's experience with the MEDIC FIRST AID family of programs. Concentra is the largest occupational medicine provider in the country with 8,000 employees countrywide.

What's your professional background?

My career has been dominated by Occupational Health and Safety Training in some form. In college I studied Business, helping those who wanted to be helped is what I wanted to do.

But helping people who want to be helped is what colleges are best at; what about those who aren't interested in learning or are reluctant? How could I get to them?

What I discovered was that I could tell stories about experiences from my background, tie the stories to the topics I was instructing and involve my students in discussion. It is in the involved discussion where learning takes place.

I thought that safety could be big because I grew up in the Motor City -Detroit - with my first job at Ford Motor Company. My father, most of my relatives, neighbors, and friends worked for the automobile manufacturer. Seeing missing fingers and hearing stories about industrial accidents provided the motivation I needed.

How long have you been teaching MFA?

I became an Instructor in early 1989 and a Trainer about a year later.

How many students do you think you've trained?

I have trained about 30 Instructors and thousands of Basic CPR / First Aid students for MFA.

What is your most memorable experience as an Instructor?

There are so many. Every class has a dynamic that allows students to share their own experiences. I have taught students who were missing an arm, missing legs, but they have taught me that help can be provided to others in need in spite of severe handicaps. My students have made me the Instructor I am. I think that the most memorable experience is when I approached a lady about her apparent apprehension in a class. She told me that she had lost both of her parents within 5 days, and she blamed herself for not having taken a CPR class. From that point forward I have used the Psychology of Resuscitation videotape.

What kinds of students are the hardest to teach and how do you handle those situations?

Professionals who have not retrained themselves in their skills of CPR and fear embarrassment in the class. I have found that acknowledging their previous training and experience to the class and how helpful that experience will be as an aid to my instruction will take the pressure off the student and turn them into an asset.

What do you think sets MFA apart?

MFA seems to more closely monitor their Instructors for quality. MFA Instructors are more dedicated to the MFA methodology. MFA Customer Service, Legal, and Accounts Receivable are most helpful. Class materials in some respects are not better than other styles, but MFA provides good quality with not a lot of glitz. Instructor Manuals are excellent. I have held certifications in three other programs; MFA has provided me the best experience.

Why do you think it works for you?

In my professional career I have always represented the top of the line in products and services. I have held three other Instructor certifications. To my knowledge no other organization has amassed a greater group of Instructors who are as self-governing, holding high the tenants of the parent organization. Please make no mistake in thinking that other styles of CPR / First Aid are less than adequate. All are well intended Instructors, but MFA provides the greatest chance for success. I want to be on the side of success.

Closing:

If you think that training MFA is going to bring you wealth in dollars and cents you may be wrong. However, I have received thank you notes from those who have used their skills to prevent loss of life, letters from companies stating that my Instructors taught skills that minimized burns and may well have prevented losses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Knowing the value of the positive impact you can have on another person is worth more than the money you can earn in a paycheck.